Kendrick Lamar Credits Career To Snoop Dogg's "Doggystyle"

Kendrick Lamar recently spoke about the impact of Snoop Dogg's Doggystyle, an album that was released November 23, 1993. In an interview with xxlmag.com, Lamar said he was greatly impacted by the album, which he says he heard when he was six years old.

"That’s all they were playing around you as a kid," Lamar says. "I couldn’t escape it."

The album has impacted Lamar's work in various ways, according to the Compton rapper.

"I’m definitely influenced by that album," Lamar says. "The structure. The cohesiveness. The skits. The flow. The melodies Snoop kicked. The raw raps. There wouldn’t be a Kendrick Lamar without Doggystyle. [What stood out about the album] was its sound. Albums that last that long have their own sound. It was nothing duplicated, that’s why it stood out. It was that G-Funk."

During a recent GQ interview, Lamar praised Snoop Dogg as one of the rappers who influenced him greatly, along with Tupac, Dr. Dre and Mobb Deep's Prodigy.

"With the whole 'Control' verse, like, I knew it would bring an element of Hip Hop that hasn't been there in a little while," Lamar said. "But how much people put the hype on it? That's the only thing that threw me off. Damn, you all attracted to it this much, but this ain't nothing no different from what I grew up listening to, from Snoop. So it's not new to me. I thought it wouldn't be that much new to you guys too. But I see that it really is a whole 'nother generation and demographic out there that's listening. A whole 'nother mainstream that's not too familiar. You feel me?"

Lamar is one of several emcees praising Doggystyle's impact. During a recent interview with MTV, Nipsey Hussle also praised the project, echoing some of Lamar's sentiments.

“I was young," Hussle said regarding the release of Doggystyle. "I was a little kid really, but that was one of them albums you couldn’t really escape. You didn’t have to buy it to hear every song. You was kinda surrounded by it. Especially being in L.A. So, he took the streets when that came out. It was like nothing else really that was as dominant in the streets. You heard that out of everybody car. You wake up, aunties was playing it. That’s how I judge the impact of a record. You can pay for radio. You can do a lot of marketing, but when it’s in the world, you drive outside you hear it. Everywhere you go it’s surrounding you. That’s how you know its impact."

52 Comments

Jordan

Anonymous

So what your trying to say is a 6 year old listens to the lyrics of every rap song and can recite them back, all while explaining the influence of said artist? You sir are a fucking imbecile and should be shot on sight. George, where are you?

Anonymous

"MMLP came out 13 years ago and eminem show came out 11 years ago and people are still jamming to it"
The point retardo was most of the people who heard those early Eminem albums weren't 6 at the time, so naturally they could listen to them again today and still like them. Once again your emotions show.

Anonymous

Jeannie Cole

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Taylor didnt say any of what youre writing about..stick to the facts and stop writing these untrues. Your articles are trash to benefit yourself at the expense of your subjects. SHAME ON YOU!

Anonymous

ur fuckin retarded dude MMLP came out 13 years ago and eminem show came out 11 years ago and people are still jamming to it, same with Illmatic which is 19 yrs old and doggystyle even today which is 20 yrs old now. Just because he was 6 when it came out doesn't mean that he didn't grow up listening to it again and again.

insanemacbeth

Drake

HE'S RIGHT,DUMBO ACTUALLY GOT IT RIGHT THIS TIME.IF HIS MAMA WASN'T FUCKED DOGGYSTYLE HE WOULD NOT BE HERE ON EARTH PERIOD.AND WE WOULD HAVE BLAND ASS WATERED DOWN NIGGAS LIKE ME.I LOVE THAT HIP HOP IS CONTROLLED BY JEWS AND 12 YEAR OLD WHITE GIRLS.....HIP HOP IS NOW USED TO BRAINWASH DUMB PEOPLE TO BY MY NEW SHIT,I'LL ADMIT IT.THE GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL TIME IS REDHEAD KINGPIN.....CHAMPAGNE POPI BABY!!!! YMCMB...SUCKIN DICKS AND CASHIN CHECKS!!!

q

Anonymous

Anonymous

"Chingy had more than 1 hit, too. Right Thurr, Holidae In, One Call Away, Balla Baby, Pullin Me Back, Fly Like Me. Shit, Jackpot had the earliest guest appearance of 2 Chainz when he was known as Tity Boi. Act like you know, bitches. #FullDekk"
Right Thurr is the only one of those I can recall

Mister Cee

I'M NOT GAY BUT ME AND CHINGY BOTH WENT OUT AND FUCKED SOME TRANNIES 1 NIGHT AND WE SUCKED THEM OFF TIL THEY CAME IN OUR MOUTHS,BUT I'M NOT GAY.CHINGY HAS AIDS AND WE ALL KNOW IT OUT IT THE LOU.THE HOLIDAY INN SONG WAS A BOUT FUCKING A DUDE THAT WAS UNDERAGE AND IT WAS CO-WRITTEN BY JERMAINE DUPRI.HIS WHOLE CARREER IS A FLAMING LIE.FAGGOT LOVER,GO KISS YOUR "DADDY"

Anonymous

Jackpot

Chingy had more than 1 hit, too. Right Thurr, Holidae In, One Call Away, Balla Baby, Pullin Me Back, Fly Like Me. Shit, Jackpot had the earliest guest appearance of 2 Chainz when he was known as Tity Boi. Act like you know, bitches. #FullDekk

Anonymous

GO FUCK YOURSELF

IM NOT EVEN FUCKING JOKING WHEN I SAY I HOPE YOU GET SHOT, THAT HAS TO BE THE MOST RETARDED THING ANYONE HAS EVER HAD TO SAY ON HIPHOP EVER, YOUR OPINIONS OR HIPHOP RELATED TOPICS ARE FOREVER DIMISSED AND DISREGARDED!